What's the Fourth of July?
by Falconcry
Summary: I wrote this for Corona09. Sari explains to the Autobots about Independence Day, but runs into some problems along the way. First time handling TF Animated, go easy!


"So you set of bombs in your own country to celebrate peace and independence?" Ratchet asked, folding his arms across his chest. It was a bright and sunny Fourth of July, white clouds drifting lazily across the light blue summer sky, and Sari was at the Autobots base, trying to explain what Independence Day was all about, but so far she wasn't having much luck.

"They're not bombs, they're fireworks." Sari patiently explained hopping off the couch she had been sitting on.

"What do fireworks do?" Bumblebee asked curiously.

Sari furrowed her brow, looking for the right words. "Well…they explode."

"So they are bombs." Ratchet pressed, and Sari sighed. This was harder then she thought.

"They're made of gunpowder, but not used for fighting. It's entertainment." Now it was Prowl's turn to be confused.

"You watch exploding packs of gunpowder for entertainment?" He inquired, raising an optic. Sari dug into her bag and pulled out a small firecracker. She turned and showed the Autobots.

"They look like this; this is a small one you can buy at the store, but the ones they set off for real are much bigger. Here, I'll show you." Sari carefully set it on the ground, a safe distance away from the curious robots and pulled the string, jumping back at the last moment. With a hiss, the firecracker produced a fountain of brilliant multicolored sparks, popping and sizzling, much to the excitement of Bumblebee.

His blue optics widened and a lopsided grin spread on his face. "Do it again, Sari!" He exclaimed, jumping up and down, and the rest of the Autobots looked on, fascinated.

Sari smiled guiltily and shrugged. "I only brought one, Bumblebee." His excitement quickly flared down, and Optimus spoke up.

"Why is it called Independence Day, Sari?"

"Because, hundreds of years ago on this day, is when our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming us a separate nation from Britain." She shrugged again. "But I don't know the whole story. Tutor Bot told it to me awhile ago." She waved her hand in the air, dismissing that section of conversation. "But anyway, they're setting off fireworks in a couple of hours and I was wondering if you guys wanted to come with me?"

She gazed up, searching their optics for any hint of emotion. "I want to go!" Bumblebee shouted, and Bulkhead said, "Yeah, I want to go see the bombs!"

"They're not bombs, Bulkhead!" Sari said firmly, stamping her foot on the floor to make her point. Optimus Prime and Ratchet exchanged a glance.

"It would be a good opportunity to witness the culture of this country…" Optimus started slowly, and turned back to an expectant Sari, and grinned. "I'm with you."

Ratchet sighed, slowly shaking his head, muttering something about kids these days. He looked up and commented, "I'm too old for this kind of excitement. I'll just stay here." Sari looked disappointed, and Optimus turned to look at Prowl, who was standing as perfectly still.

"Prowl, you haven't said a word." The ninja bot gave no indication that he had heard his leader, but spoke to Sari instead. "I'm not going either." Sari's jaw hit the floor.

"Why not?" She demanded indignantly, but Prowl's reply was silence. She jutted out her lower lip and crossed her arms. "Prowl," She whined, slurring his name into two syllables. (Yes, Prowl is actually only one!) He made no reply, feeling his comrade's optics on him, searching for answers. Finally he sighed, letting his arms hang loosely at his sides, Sari's pitiful look getting the best of him.

"Alright…"

"YESSS!!" Sari announced in triumph, punching the air with her fist, smiling broadly. "I'll be back in two hours, see ya then!" She grabbed her bag and ran out the door.

**Two hours later**

"Come on Prowl, we're going to be late!" Sari shouted at the ninja bot, who was lagging behind. Optimus, Bulkhead and Bumblebee had already transformed, and Sari was climbing into her best friend. It wasn't like Prowl to be slow, but he transformed, letting the wheels of his alt mode slam carelessly onto the concrete. With one last look at the forlorn motorbike, Sari shut Bee's door. "Let's go!"

Night was falling, the faint glitter of stars high in the deep hued purple sky above, but the dying flames of the set sun were peaking up from the horizon. Bumblebee took the lead, letting Sari guide him to the place where they would view the fireworks. They made it to the grassy knoll just as the deep violet took hold of the sky, bright stars twinkling, as if trying to compare to the upcoming fireworks. Sari ran ahead of the transformed robots. "Here it is! This is the spot my dad and I would always watch the fireworks every year, but he's working late tonight." She put up her hands, smiling again. "What can I say?"

"Well, at least you have us." Bumblebee grinned and plopped down in the lush grass, the hill shaking slightly with the sudden weight.

"Yeah, it's better than no one." Sari teased, punching his chassis playfully. She settled into his lap as Bulkhead and Optimus chose places of their own nearby. Prowl dragged his feet, averting eye contact, and sat down lightly to the left of Bumblebee and Sari, elegantly crossing his gold and black limbs, his face an emotionless mask. Sari cast a quick glance at him, secretly worried. Why did he seem so sad? She wanted ask, but as she opened her mouth the first deafening boom of the fireworks drowned out any possible audible sound.

She felt Bumblebee quiver with excitement beneath her, and she looked up, his round optics reflecting the colorful fire in the sky. Sari turned her attention skyward again, watching the fireworks intently. They get better every year, she thought, and absently drew her gaze at the Autobots. Bumblebee was completely ecstatic, Bulkhead was thrilled, and Optimus seemed a bit overwhelmed. Her eyes came to rest on Prowl, who wasn't oohing and aahing with the rest.

In fact, she though he saw him flinch at every explosion, though his movements were so slight she couldn't be sure. A golden firework lit up the night sky was she slid off of Bumblebee and over to Prowl. She climbed up his frame dexterously, and came to rest on his shoulder, but was nearly jostled off when he cringed as a strident bang sounded throughout the air, green lights glittering high in the sky. "Prowl, what's wrong?" Sari whispered to him.

"It's very loud." Came the reply. Sari frowned, Prowl always had been a bad liar, the tone with which he said it gave it away completely.

"Seriously Prowl," she pressed, a little louder this time. "You've been acting weird ever since I mentioned fireworks." He was quiet for a time, only the fireworks filling the painful silence that followed her words. Finally, he complied with a labored sigh.

"It reminds me of someone, someone…" He stopped, but continued in a low tone. "Someone I lost." This, of course, intrigued Sari immensely.

"Who?" She felt Prowl's shoulders slope slightly under her.

"Her name was Ariel, and she always loved these lights." Sari was confused.

"They had fireworks on Cybertron?"

"No, but something like it. Before the Great Wars, explosives were used for different purposes then killing." Sari nodded slowly, understanding his feeling of loss. It must be painful for him to watch something that reminded him of someone who had died. Sari didn't want to press the spark-aching ninja, but the question slipped out before she could stop it.

"What happened to her?" Prowl froze, seemingly even more still then the non-mobile statue he already had been. Nothing came from him for a long while, and she thought he wasn't going to answer her, and then his voice came at last.

"She was…killed in action. She and I were very close." In his tone was heart-rending sadness, a sadness that shouldn't have been felt when it was a time for celebration. Sari patted his shoulder reassuringly, trying to lift his spirits.

"Don't feel sad, Prowl, just think of those you still have." Out of the corner of her eye she saw him nod slowly.

"I think I'll do that Sari." She leaned her head comfortingly against his, and they watched the fireworks illuminating the starry night together.


End file.
